Every Nigerian has the right to live in any part of the country. An important part of voter registration is that an eligible person is advised to register at the centre nearest to his or her residence. This is to make it easy for the voter to access the polling unit and vote on Election Day.

Eligibility for Transfer:

A person who has relocated to another place, outside the unit in which he/she registered cannot vote in his/her new location unless he/she transfers his/her registration.

Procedure for Transfer:

Step 1:

The person who intends to transfer his/her registration will apply to INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner of the state where he/she is currently residing through his/her Electoral Officer (EO).

Note: The application should contain the current address and phone number of the applicant as these will assist in allocating the polling unit nearest to him/her as well as for contact purposes respectively.

Step 2:

The applicant shall attach a photocopy of his/her Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC) to the application and submit at the nearest registration centre nearest to him/her.

Note:The applicant must apply to the Resident Electoral Commissioner in good time, well before 60 days to the election. No transfer can be entertained or granted less than 60 days to the election.

Step 3:

If satisfied that the applicant is currently resident in the area, the Resident Electoral Commissioner shall approve the application and direct that the applicant’s details be transferred to his/her new location.

Note:The Commission may require evidence such as Utility Bill for confirmation of your residency.

Step 4:

The applicant will be assigned to the nearest polling unit to his/her new residences.

Note: The applicant’s registration and particulars will then be deleted from the register of voters in the previous location

Step 5:

The applicant would be issued with a new Permanent Voter’s Card at the registration centre where he/she submitted his/her application or at any other designated centre by the Commission and the previous one will be retrieved.

Note: When the PVCs are ready, the Commission will make a public announcement to that effect for collection. The applicant should pick up the new PVC in person as collection by proxy is not allowed.

Information

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was established by the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to among other things organize elections into various political offices in the country.The functions of INEC as contained in Section 15, Part 1 of the Third Schedule of the 1999 Constitution (As Amended) and Section 2 of the Electoral Act 2010 (As Amended)